Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

4

VANESSA

Here‘s the thing. I don‘t give out my phone number to guys. Ever. So imagine my surprise when I was

stocking the coolers at work this morning and my phone vibrated against the bar top with an incoming

text message from Callum Conway.

His number wasn‘t saved in my phone, but I immediately knew the message was from him, and it didn‘t

take long for me to figure out how he got ahold of my digits. The sneaky devil must‘ve sent himself a text

from my phone when he was checking out my music last night. If it were anybody else, I‘d probably be

annoyed with the underhanded way he went about getting my number, but instead I found myself smiling

down at my phone, heart pounding as I considered how to respond. Exchanging messages is harmless,

right? At least that‘s what I kept telling myself as we texted back and forth all morning while I smiled

down at my phone like a fool. I might‘ve gotten away with it, too, if I wasn‘t working the same shift as my

best friend. Vienna knows I don‘t give my number out, so she was baffled by the fact that I was so caught

up in texting with Callum, and honestly, same. All of this is so foreign to me, but there‘s just something

about Cal. He‘s bold without being sleazy. Clever without being cliché. And for the first time, I’m...

curious.

A lot of girls my age date around, Vienna included, but I never have. She thinks I‘m crazy, and she‘s said

as much when I’ve turned down dates or refuted advances from good–looking, smooth–talking guys that

other girls would jump at the chance to go out with. Call me a hopeless romantic, but I‘ve never seen the

point of dating or getting close to someone when I have a fated mate out there somewhere waiting for

me. s

Humans talk about soulmates, but in shifter culture, finding that person is a very real possibility. Once we

turn eighteen, every full moon presents a chance for us to find them. Our packs shift and run together

under the light of the moon, and if you‘re lucky enough to be in the proximity of your fated mate on one of

those nights, you‘ll feel it– the pull. My parents say it‘s like an irresistible force that draws you to your

mate, and once you lay eyes on one another, BAM! The bond snaps into place.

Even though all of us have a fated mate out there, not everyone is lucky enough to find theirs.

Statistically, less than half of us will actually find them and get to experience that magical fated mate

bond, but I‘m an optimist. My parents are fated mates, and I‘ve seen how deep that connection goes.

They really are two halves of a whole. I want that for myself, and I‘ll hold out as long as I have to in

order to find my other half. Which is why it‘s so out of character for me to be acting the way I am right

now, carefully applying my makeup and straightening my hair, changing my clothes five times before

settling on an outfit that screams casual, yet sexy. I‘m nervous. I don‘t get nervous around guys. What

the hell has gotten into me?

“It‘s not too late to back out, you know,” Vienna sighs from the doorway of my bedroom, and I‘m not sure

if it‘s due to her own apprehension or if she‘s sensing mine. I know she‘s just as anxious about seeing

Chase tonight, but she‘s gone the opposite way of me, putting minimal effort into her hair, makeup, and

attire. She‘s trying to send the message that she doesn‘t care enough to dress up for him, but I think she

looks even more beautiful when she goes casual and lets her natural beauty shine through. If the Alpha

has designs on playing it aloof with her again tonight, he doesn‘t stand a chance. I shake my head as I

cross the room to Vienna. “Nice try,” I laugh, snatching her by the arm and threading mine through the

crook of her elbow. “We‘re doing this.”

“But it‘s like ten degrees outside,” she grumbles as I pull her toward the staircase.

“Let it go, Vee. The cold never bothered me anyway.” 3

She stops in her tracks, hitting me with a dubious stare and raising a brow at my Disney reference.

“Frozen? Really, Ness?“, I giggle, starting down the stairs and yanking her with me. “It‘s Mia‘s favorite

right now.”

Her lips pull into a smile at the mention of my four–year–old sister. Vee‘s an only child, while I‘m the

oldest of seven. She‘s over here often enough that she‘s basically a member of the family, and my littlest

sister Mia has Vee wrapped around her finger. “What happened to her Little Mermaid obsession?” she

queries as she follows me down the staircase.

“That was last week,” I say with the wave of a hand, glancing back at her over my shoulder. “Next week

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it‘ll be something else. You know how she is.” I bound down the rest of the stairs, stepping over to the

front door and calling out to my mom as I slide my feet into my boots. “I‘m heading out!”

“Have fun!” my mom calls back instantly, her voice carrying from the back of the house. She‘s pretty laid-

back as far as parenting goes – I‘ve never given her a reason not to trust me, so she doesn‘t give me the

third degree or question where I‘m going. She knows I‘ll be responsible and come home at a decent

hour, because that‘s what I‘ve always done. Plus, I‘m nineteen, so I‘m technically an

adult now. I just haven‘t moved out because I like living here with my big, crazy family. “You sure you

don‘t want to head to the bar or something instead?” Vienna asks as we make our way toward her car at

the curb, snow crunching underneath our boots.

“Positive,” I laugh, giving her a playful shove. “Stop trying to get out of this!” The passenger door creaks

on its hinges as I pull it open and drop into the seat, rattling with a hollow, tinny sound as I close it behind

me. Vienna‘s car is a hunk of junk, but I‘ll never say that out loud because I know how proud she is of it.

She worked her butt off to buy it with her own money, so even if it feels like a rolling death trap, I‘ll act like

we‘re riding in luxury every time. 1 The engine starts with a groan and we pull away from the curb,

heading out of town and toward Norbury‘s territory. It‘s right next to our own territory of Riverton, so the

drive isn‘t a long one. Still, it‘s enough time for Vienna to give me the third degree about Callum once

again when my phone lights up with an incoming text message that I can‘t help but smile at. Callum: You

still coming? “I just don‘t get it,” Vienna grumbles, shaking her head in disapproval. “I mean, Cal? Out of

all people?”

“I don‘t know why you‘re reading into it so much,” I reply with a casual shrug of my shoulders. I resist the

urge to pick up my phone and text him back, knowing that Vee will see it as me being too eager. “I don‘t

even know the guy.”

“Exactly! So why are you suddenly texting him like it‘s a thing?”

I roll my eyes. “It‘s not a thing. You‘re the only one making it into a thing.” My phone is practically burning

a hole in the thigh of my black jeans, my fingers itching to reach for it. Vienna shoots me a dubious side–

eyed glance. “So you‘re not dragging me out here tonight so you can see him?”

“A bonfire sounded fun,” I say nonchalantly. “It was either this or watching Frozen with Mia for the

hundredth time.”

She‘s quiet for a moment, but I can practically hear the gears turning in her head before she finally

mumbles, “he just gives me the creeps.”

I bark out a laugh, swatting at Vee‘s arm with the back of a hand. “You‘re ridiculous! You don‘t know him

either, Vee. You can‘t judge a book by its cover.”

“Maybe you should, if the cover gives you the heebie jeebies.” 3

I shake my head, finally giving into the urge to pick up my phone and reply to Callum‘s message.

Vanessa: On our way! Vienna is suspiciously quiet for the rest of the drive, but I think part of that is her

own anxiety about tonight. Even if she won‘t admit it, there‘s a palpable tension between her and Chase,

and I think she‘s nervous about seeing him again after the way last night ended. He went upstairs with

some girl, and Vee practically dragged me out of the packhouse like it was on fire immediately after, like

she couldn‘t bear to be under the same roof while he was hooking up with someone else. If that‘s not

jealousy, I don‘t know what is. We park among a bunch of other cars at the side of a forest road deep in

Norbury‘s territory, climbing out and trudging through the trees while allowing the sound of music and

carrying voices to lead us to our destination. The orange glow of the fire comes into view up ahead, and I

can feel the tension rolling off Vienna in waves, making me second guess whether it was the right

decision to drag her here with me tonight. I told myself this was for her, to bust her out of the funk she‘s

been in lately, but were my reasons more selfish than that?

I don‘t have time to dwell on that question, because the next thing I know, we reach a break in the trees

and the bonfire pit comes fully into view. There are more people here than I expected, lounging on old

chairs and overturned logs, dancing to music or casually sipping drinks. On the far side of the fire, Chase

and his friends are seated all in a row, with Levi on his right and Callum on his left. Levi‘s the first to spot

us approaching, jumping up from his chair and making his way over to meet us.

“Hey!” Levi greets cheerfully, his broad silhouette backlit by the fire behind him. “I didn‘t know you were

coming tonight!” He reaches out for Vienna, pulling her in and planting a kiss on her cheek.

Even in the dull glow of the firelight, I can see the blush form on her cheeks. “Me either,” she breathes,

throwing a thumb in my direction. “This one dragged me along.”

Levi‘s gaze slides over to meet mine, a flicker of curiosity passing over his features. “Glad she did,” he

replies smoothly, giving me a little nod. “Come over and make yourselves comfortable, I‘ll grab some

beers.” We follow Levi to where his friends are seated and while he disappears to fetch drinks, Chase

and Vienna engage in a truly epic staring contest, exchanging snide greetings with one another. Those

two just need to admit they‘re into each other and put the rest of us out of our misery.

I‘ve played it as cool as I can thus far, but I finally look over at Callum, smiling shyly when our eyes meet.

He‘s reclined back in a big wooden chair, his long legs spread and his dark hoodie slung up over his

head. His handsome features are partially shadowed by his hood, giving his grin this eerie, ominous

quality as it forms on his lips. Even though the fire is hot at my back, a shiver races down my spine.

“Ladies,” Levi drawls, shaking me out of my temporary trance when he reappears with a bottle of beer in

each hand, offering them to Vee and me. I smile appreciatively as I take it, curling my fingers around the

cold neck of the bottle.

A whistle brings my attention back to Cal, and I snap my gaze back to him as he nods to the empty

bench beside his chair, beckoning me. I‘m not a huge fan of being whistled at, but I find myself blindly

following his command, reaching for Vee‘s hand to drag her with me over to the bench. I sink down onto

it, Vienna taking the spot next to me. For a long moment, he doesn‘t say anything, the tension of his

silence causing a knot of anxiety to form in my gut. It‘s silly that I‘m nervous– he invited me tonight, after

all. He clearly wanted me to come, but it‘s the question of why that has me holding my breath in

anticipation.

“You made it,” Callum finally utters, the deep timbre of his voice seeping inside me and unraveling the

tightness in the pit of my stomach. I turn to look at him and his eyes are already on me, focused and

unblinking. They look darker tonight, his pupils blown out so wide behind the shadow of his hood that

only a sliver of his blue–green irises are visible.

I part my lips to respond, but my breath gets caught somewhere in my throat when he suddenly reaches

out to take the bottle of beer from my hand, his fingers brushing mine and sending a zip of electricity

running through my body. I barely conceal my flinch, watching as he brings the beer bottle to his mouth,

pops the cap off with his teeth, and hands it back to me. 1

“Thanks,” I breathe, taking a slow sip from the bottle. I‘m not much of a beer drinker, but right now, I‘d

benefit from loosening up a little bit. “Where‘s yours?” I ask once I swallow it down and notice that he‘s

emptyhanded.

Callum shrugs. “I’m not a big drinker.”

I narrow my eyes on him skeptically. “Coulda fooled me last night. Straight vodka, was it?”

“That was an anomaly,” he murmurs, his gaze sliding from me and lingering on the fire, the reflection of

the flames dancing in his dark eyes. “Something set me off and I needed it. Most of the time, I like to

keep a clear head.”

Funnily enough, right as he says that Chase passes him a joint. He takes it between his fingers, raising it

to his lips. “What was that you were saying about keeping a clear head?” I tease, eyeing the joint and

watching the cherry glowing red with his inhale.

Cal chuckles lowly as he coughs out the smoke. “This just takes the edge off,” he explains, holding it out

to me in offering. “You want?” I sink my teeth into the cushion of my lower lip, giving a little shake of my

head. His eyes dip to my mouth, then travel back up to meet my own, narrowing.” You‘re a good girl,

aren‘t you?” he asks in that deep, rumbling voice of his, and my heart beats a little faster, my thighs

squeezing together tighter. I keep my eyes trained on his, arching a brow. “So what if I am?”

He laughs softly to himself and takes another hit of the joint before passing it back to Chase. “Nothing

wrong with that. Just trying to get a read on you.” He exhales the smoke toward the fire, sinking back

farther in his chair.

My lips twitch into a smirk as I watch him, the picture of a teenage heartbreaker. “And let me guess,

you‘re a bad boy type, huh?” Callum‘s gaze flickers back to meet mine and he grins menacingly, running

his tongue over his straight white teeth. “The worst, babe.” 1

Babe. I‘m not one for pet names, but surprisingly, I don‘t hate the way it sounds rolling off his lips. He‘s

still pinning me with his stare, like he‘s daring me to be the first to look away. “Is this the part where you

warn me to stay away from you?” I ask, tilting my head as I hold his gaze.

Cal leans in a little closer. “If it was, would you listen?”

He wins. My cheeks heat in a blush and I turn away to conceal it, taking a swig of beer from the bottle

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and staring absently into the fire. “Maybe. Though I prefer to make my own judgments about people.”

“Hm.”

I swing my head back around to face Callum, arching a brow. “What?”

“Nothing,” he grunts, swiping a hand over his chin. “You‘re just... different.”

I narrow my eyes on him. “Good different or bad different?”

The corner of his mouth turns up slightly. “Undecided.”

I roll my eyes, wrapping my lips around the rim of the beer bottle and taking

another swig. I don‘t miss how his eyes track the movement– it‘s like he‘s always watching, always

quietly observing. A lot of people would probably find that unnerving, but I find it slightly fascinating, like

I‘m beginning to unravel what makes this mystery man tick.

Levi delivers fresh beers to Vee and me, kicking some poor schmuck out of the seat next to Vienna so he

can take it and try to flirt with her. She barely engages him, but I‘ve gotta give the guy credit for his

persistence. He almost starts to make some headway with her, too, until she gets up and announces that

she has to pee, leaving the fireside to trudge off into the forest.

She isn‘t gone for two full seconds before Miles is sliding onto the bench beside me to take her spot, his

thigh brushing mine as he scooches closer.

“Hey, Nessa,” he coos, hitting me with a bright smile. “Glad you came out tonight, I was hoping I‘d see

you again.” Cal throws Miles an annoyed glare, and I can‘t help but laugh to myself as I turn my attention

to Miles, smiling politely. “You guys have a cool setup here,” I say, gesturing around with my beer bottle.

“Yeah, this is kinda our spot,” Miles brags, his hand landing on my thigh. “Need another beer or

anything?“.

“No thanks,” I murmur, slyly brushing his hand away as I lift my leg to cross it over the other.

“Cool. Just let me know if you do.”

I nod, taking another sip of the beer in my hand and staring into the blaze of the fire. I feel Miles move

closer, leaning in beside my ear. “Y’know, I was a little bummed that you left last night before I could get

your number...”

I fight back an eyeroll. Miles is clearly interested in me– it was obvious from the first moment he sat down

and introduced himself at the party with that eager look in his eyes – but he‘s trying way too hard. Guys

often confuse my friendliness for flirtation, and it seems that Miles is no exception.

(0

“It was getting late and Vee wanted to get going,” I explain, brushing past his thinly veiled request for my

phone number and hoping he‘ll take the hint. “So can I get your number now, then?” Or not. I force a

smile to my lips. “I don‘t make a habit of giving out my number to guys I don‘t know.”

Miles isn’t deterred by my brush–off. “Guess we‘ll have to get to know each other better, then,” he

replies, waggling his eyebrows. Yeah, this dude isn‘t great at picking up subtext. “Maybe,” I say, swinging

my gaze back around to Callum.

Our eyes connect immediately and his lips curl into a grin. The guy looks smug as hell, but to be fair, I

didn‘t give my number to him, either. He stole it. Something tells me he has a habit of bending the rules

to suit him. I hear the pounding of footsteps in the distance, looking up right as Vienna emerges from the

treeline at a full sprint. I know something‘s wrong right away, and that‘s when I notice that Chase‘s chair

is also vacant– did he follow her out there or something?

I sit up straighter as Vee makes a beeline straight for me, her eyes wide and wild.” We‘ve gotta go,” she

says breathlessly, reaching for my arm. At the same time, Levi‘s phone rings and he answers it,

responding to whoever‘s on the other line in a clipped tone. “What‘s going on?” I ask Vee as I allow her

to pull me to my feet, but before she can answer, Levi‘s tucking his phone away and rising from his chair,

cupping his hands around his mouth to call out to everyone around the bonfire pit. “Party‘s over, guys!

There‘s a possible rogue nearby and the squad‘s on their

way!”

“What?!” I squeak, grabbing onto Vienna‘s arm and squeezing as fear prickles up my spine. Rogues are

packless wolf shifters that have gone feral, and they‘re both dangerous and unpredictable. If there‘s one

close by, then we need to get the hell out of here. She nods in confirmation, taking my hand and pulling

me away from the fire.” Like I said, girl, we‘ve gotta go.” She doesn‘t need to tell me twice. People are

already jogging away from the bonfire pit, heading back toward the road where we parked Vee‘s car, and

the two of us fall in with the mass exodus.

It isn‘t until we‘ve made it back to the car that I realize I never said goodbye.